An embodiment relates generally to embedded software systems.
In automobiles, several vehicle feature functions are handled by electronics and control software applications. Such systems are distributed real-time embedded software systems that require high integrity development and verification processes. Ensuring consistency and correctness of models across the various design steps is critical in development methodologies.
Test cases are created to test the software utilizing a series of commands or instructions that are applied to a device, subsystem or system under test. Development of a suite of test suite having an appropriate coverage over the software is an important step in arriving at the required quality of the subsystem or system.
When a change is made to the software, the test suite must also be changed to verify that the changes operate as expected and that no faults or errors result from the changes. The changed test suite is required to have the same coverage and quality over the changed software.
An issue with the changes is that after a change is made, there is no traceability for easily identifying correspondence between the modified software and the test suite. Typically, changes are made to software and a developer must go through to examine the entire software, identify the change, identify an appropriate set of test cases in the test suite that correlates to the section of the software and make the necessary revisions. The task of locating the correct sections for revision can be a very tedious and time-consuming process.